Statement outlining results, risks and significant changes in operations, personnel and program

1. Introduction

This quarterly report has been prepared by management as required by section 65.1 of the Financial Administration Act and in the form and manner prescribed by the Treasury Board Directive on Accounting Standards.  This report should be read in conjunction with the 2017-18 Main Estimates (and as applicable – Supplementary Estimates and previous quarterly reports for the current year).

The mandate of the Canadian Intergovernmental Conference Secretariat (CICS) is to support federal, provincial and territorial governments in the planning and conduct of senior level intergovernmental conferences held across Canada. The primary objective of CICS is to relieve client departments of the numerous technical and administrative tasks associated with the planning and conduct of multilateral conferences, thereby enabling participants to concentrate on substantive intergovernmental policy issues. CICS provides continuous, effective, impartial administrative services to these meetings.

This quarterly report has not been subject to an external audit or review.

Basis of Presentation

This quarterly report has been prepared by management using an expenditure basis of accounting.  The accompanying Statement of Authorities includes the department’s spending authorities granted by Parliament and those used by the department consistent with the 2017-18 Main Estimates and Supplementary Estimates (as applicable).  This quarterly report has been prepared using a special purpose financial reporting framework designed to meet financial information needs with respect to the use of spending authorities.

The authority of Parliament is required before moneys can be spent by the Government.  Approvals are given in the form of annually approved limits through appropriation acts or through legislation in the form of statutory spending authority for specific purposes.

As part of the departmental performance reporting process, CICS prepares its annual departmental financial statements on a full accrual basis in accordance with Treasury Board accounting policies, which are based on Canadian generally accepted accounting principles for the public sector.  However, the spending authorities voted by Parliament remain on an expenditure basis.

2. Highlights of fiscal quarter and fiscal year to date (YTD) results

2.1 Statement of Authorities

CICS’ authorities available for 2017-18 are some $36 thousand higher than last fiscal year. An increase of $73 thousand is attributable to additional compensation allocations resulting from collective agreements renewal. This increase is offset by a $37 thousand reduction attributable to the employee benefit plan amount that was revised due to provincial employees hired by CICS through the interchange program.

2.2 Statement of Department Budgetary Expenditures by Standard Object

Year to date operating expenses to December 31, 2017 are some $138 thousand lower than for the same period in 2016-17. This variation is a combination of a $51 thousand increase in salary charges and a $189 thousand decrease in transportation, professional and special services. This reduction is explained by a decrease in the number of in-person conferences served outside the National Capital Region (NCR), resulting from a slight increase in the number of teleconferences and an increase in the number of in-person meetings in the NCR. The primary reason for salary increase is that more casual employees were hired to serve a higher demand for intergovernmental events, positions that were vacant for the same period last fiscal year have been staffed and retroactive pay to employees resulting from collective agreements renewal.

3. Risks and Uncertainties

Our program mandate is to provide administrative services for the planning and conduct of First Ministers, Ministers and Deputy Ministers level federal-provincial-territorial and provincial-territorial conferences.  CICS does not convene intergovernmental meetings. It is called upon to respond to decisions taken by governments to meet on key national or specific issues. Decisions concerning the location of such meetings, their number in a given fiscal year, their timing and duration, are all factors beyond the control of the Secretariat.

Like many other departments and agencies, CICS is facing a critical demographic issue as we enter a phase where a significant number of our personnel are or will be eligible for retirement.  Plans are in place to ensure as seamless a transition of knowledge as possible.

4. Significant changes in relation to operations, personnel and program

In response to the evolving needs of clients, the Conference Services Division, as in the previous fiscal period, continues to identify, pilot and implement innovative solutions to meet those needs. Innovative solutions consist of new technologies and process efficiencies that improve service delivery resulting in positive client feedback and efficiencies in operations, the key areas being video-conferencing and teleconferencing with simultaneous interpretation, online registration and online document retrieval.

Approval by Senior Officials

The paper version was approved and signed by:


Original signed by:

André M. McArdle
Secretary,
Ottawa, Canada


Original signed by:

Brian J. Berry, FCPA, FCMA
Assistant Secretary and Chief Financial Officer
Ottawa, Canada

Date: February 19, 2018 Date: February 19, 2018

 

Statement of Authorities (unaudited)

 

Fiscal Year 2017-18
(in dollars) Total available for use for the year ending March 31, 2018 Used during the quarter ended December 31st, 2017 Year to date used at quarter-end
Vote 1 – Net Operating expenditures 5,885,063 1,243,239 3,295,873
Budgetary Statuory authorities 390,526 65,088 260,351
Total Budgetary authorities 6,275,589 1,308,327 3,556,224
Total authorities 6,275,589 1,308,327 3,556,224

 

Fiscal Year 2016-17
(in dollars) Total available for use for the year ending March 31, 2017 Used during the quarter ended December 31st, 2016 Year to date used at quarter-end
Vote 1 – Net Operating expenditures 5,811,616 1,256,341 3,373,279
Budgetary Statuory authorities 427,837 106,959 320,878
Total Budgetary authorities 6,239,453 1,363,300 3,694,157
Total authorities 6,239,453 1,363,300 3,694,157

 

Departmental budgetary expenditures by Standard Object (unaudited)

 

Fiscal Year 2017-18
(in dollars) Planned expenditures for the year ending March 31, 2018 Expended during the quarter ended December 31st, 2017 Year to date used at quarter-end
Expenditures:
Personnel 2,951,526 615,440 2,067,511
Transportation and communications 929,000 237,841 506,081
Information 145,300 3,700 4,672
Professional and special services 1,683,257 265,699 591,812
Rentals 366,000 150,904 202,857
Repair and maintenance 29,000 1,032 7,554
Utilities, materials and supplies 31,000 4,742 16,219
Acquisition of machinery and equipment 140,000 9,947 12,204
Other subsidies and payments 506 19,022 147,314
Total net budgetary expenditures 6,275,589 1,308,327 3,556,224

 

Fiscal year 2016-17
(in dollars) Planned expenditures for the year ending March 31, 2017 Expended during the quarter ended December 31st, 2016 Year to date used at quarter-end
Expenditures:
Personnel 2,915,264 737,289 2,016,505
Transportation and communications 920,000 175,052 540,831
Information 113,500 972 1,488
Professional and special services 1,573,183 381,976 906,386
Rentals 530,000 37,846 97,417
Repair and maintenance 22,500 1,533
Utilities, materials and supplies 34,800 4,115 20,725
Acquisition of machinery and equipment 130,000 10,334 43,297
Other subsidies and payments 206 15,716 65,975
Total net budgetary expenditures 6,239,453 1,363,300 3,694,157